Justice
by Kajivar
Summary: My version of the fallout after the Charmed Ones and Leo worked with the Avatars to reshape the world, and a different take on how Cole returned. The Elders put Leo on trial for joining the Avatars, and guess who is brought in to defend him? Complete
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I wrote this shortly after hearing Cole would be back for the 150th episode of Charmed. I had no idea how they were planning on doing it, but I felt compelled to write the way _I_ would do it. It's canon up to and including "Show Ghouls." Kevin, in case you don't remember, is the kid who drew comic books that came to life in "Witches in Tights" -- he became an Elder at the end of the episode.

Fair warning, I am verrrrry snarky toward the Charmed Ones in this. :) But it's deserved.

* * *

Piper sat in her room, rocking Chris in her arms, smiling as she watched Leo play with Wyatt. This was Utopia, not the world the Avatars had brought about -- a peaceful home with her husband and sons. If only moments like this could last, uninterrupted by demons, but she'd come to terms with the duties that came with being a Charmed One. At least things had been relatively peaceful for the past few weeks, if one ignored the looming question of what the Elders might have planned for Leo.

"I think Wyatt wants to go to the park today," Leo said, pulling her out of her thoughts. "What do you think, big gu--"

Mid-word, Leo began to orb out. Piper had seen enough orbing over the years to recognize when it was against one's will. "Leo!" she cried.

Wyatt wailed in distress, reaching out his arms toward his disappearing father. Piper watched in horror as the magical orbs around Leo began to spin erratically, caught between the pull of the Elders and Wyatt's own power. She heard Leo's scream of pain and frantically told her son, "Wyatt! Let Daddy go!" Wyatt pouted and dropped his arms, and Leo disappeared. Chris began to whimper, and Piper gathered both her children in her arms to calm them.

She didn't have time for her rage and fear to build before a young man orbed into her room. She pushed the boys behind her and raised her hands instinctively. "Don't shoot!" the boy yelped, ducking behind a chair.

"Kevin?" Piper said, recognizing the young Elder.

"I know you're pissed," Kevin said, warily standing back up, "but I'm on your side here."

"What's going on?" Piper demanded. "Where's Leo?"

"Okay. The Elders are all sorts of pissed at Leo about this Avatar stuff, but you know that," Kevin explained. "But some of us -- like me -- aren't all about the punishment thing. We understand why what happened did. And we want to make sure justice is done."

"Justice?" Piper said suspiciously.

"There's going to be a trial," Kevin explained. "Leo has to justify what he did. The highest ranking Elders are going to preside over it."

Piper's hands twitched. "Justify himself?" she fumed. "The Elders are the ones who took him away from his family. They attacked our son! Bring Leo back here _now _or I swear to god I will find a way up there myself and..."

"Whoa, preaching to the choir here," Kevin interrupted. "Like I said, I'm on your side. Some of the Elders were all 'He must be punished!' for going against the will of the Collective or something, but some of us -- mostly the younger Elders if that makes sense -- want to hear Leo's reasons. So we compromised on this trial."

"I've been through one of these trials before," Piper said, her eyes narrowing. "I think we'll pass."

"You really don't have a choice at this point," Kevin said. "But I did arrange for you and your sisters to be able to attend and speak on his behalf."

One hour later, after Piper had made phone calls to her sisters to return to the manor immediately, Kevin orbed the Charmed Ones to the location of Leo's trial. The setting was eerily similar to that used by the Tribunal that had past judgment over the sister's misuse of their powers, but Kevin assured them that there would be no demons involved in these proceedings. "And they've learned to count. Three judges, not four," Paige said mockingly.

"Where's Leo?" Piper said, peering into the darkness around them. There were three Elders, two women and a man, seated on a dais at one end of the room, and another pair of Elders opposite them. The prosecution, Piper guessed.

"He'll be brought in shortly," Kevin said. "First we need to prep Leo's defense. I found the perfect person to handle it. Just...uh, trust me. Let me bring him in." He closed his eyes and concentrated, and a figure began to orb in.

"Oh my god," Phoebe whispered.

"Dude, I thought you were supposed to be helping Leo," Paige said in disbelief.

"Are you out of your freakin' mind?" Piper exploded.

"Nice to see you, too, ladies," Cole said with a small smirk.


	2. Chapter 2

"No vanquishing the lawyer, please," Kevin said, slipping between Cole and the Charmed Ones. "I went through a lot of trouble to get him here." 

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Piper sputtered. "Don't you know who he is? Don't you know what he's done?"

Kevin sighed. "I knew you would be difficult about this. Trust me, he's the best man for the job. Just...go with it."

"You're crazy!" Phoebe exclaimed. "He's a demon! He's _evil_!"

"Unfortunately, you're not going to find too many angelic lawyers," Cole said, a bemused look on his face. "Most law firms tend to be on the demonic side."

"We don't need your help," Phoebe fumed. "We can handle it ourselves. Why don't you just crawl back under whatever rock you came from. Get out of my life and stay out!"

"Given your method of proving a point tends to be taking off your clothes, Ms. Halliwell," Cole said disdainfully, crossing his arms across his chest, "I think I'm better qualified to defend Leo."

Phoebe's jaw dropped. "Oooh! You...! I should've known you'd find a way to watch me, pervert," she snapped. "I suppose you watch me in the shower, too."

"Actually, that's your former Whitelighter who does that," Cole said. "Personally, you're too scrawny these days for my tastes. Trust me, if I was going to indulge in any voyeuristic tendencies, it wouldn't be with you."

"All right, enough!" Piper held up her hands threateningly, though she knew her power wouldn't work on her sister, and the last time she'd fought Cole, he'd been resistant to her powers, too. "Okay. If we're stuck with you, then do your job and get Leo out of here, then get the hell out of our lives."

"Straight to the point, as ever, Piper," Cole said. "I'm here for one reason -- to defend Leo. After that, you don't have to worry about me." He glanced at Phoebe and Paige. "You two should put something less...revealing on."

Paige rolled her eyes. "When did you turn prude?"

"Showing off your cleavage may get Elders like Kevin here on your side," Cole said.

Kevin blushed. "I wasn't looking, honest!" he protested.

"But I think you'll find the ones actually sitting in judgment are a little more conservative," Cole finished. "It's called knowing your audience, Paige. Take every advantage you can. I couldn't care less how you dress, but if you take a few tips from Piper, the judges may show you a little more respect. You wouldn't wear that to a job interview, would you?"

"Got a point there," Paige said. She used her powers of glamour to adjust the length of her skirt and the neckline of her shirt. Phoebe glared at Cole but nodded at her sister, and Paige similarly altered Phoebe's outfit.

"Much better," Cole said approvingly. "Now, Piper, Paige, Ms. Halliwell -- if you ladies would care to take a seat, Leo will be brought in shortly."

"Stop calling me Ms. Halliwell," Phoebe said. "You know my name."

Cole fixed her with a cold stare. "Phoebe is the name of the woman I loved. You, Ms. Halliwell, are most assuredly not her."

Phoebe took an involuntary step back, her hand coming up to her throat, as Cole turned away from them. "Phoebe?" Piper asked, concerned.

"My empathy isn't working on him," Phoebe said in a low voice meant for her sisters alone. "I can't feel what he's feeling. But that -- that I just felt. Like...like someone stabbed me in the heart."

"Oookay," Piper said. "Sit down. We'll worry about that later." She looked at Kevin. "Where's Leo?"

"He'll be here in a minute," Kevin said. "Let me tell you about the judges first. They're the oldest Elders. The two below are Darban and Esttai." He indicated the man first, then the woman. "Above them is Briel. She's the ranking judge." He pointed to the two Elders on the opposite side of the room. "They're in charge of prosecuting Leo. The taller one is Serris. The other one is, uh, George."

"George?" Paige snickered.

"Some of us _do _have normal names," Kevin said, making a face at her.

The woman on the upper part of the dais spoke. "Bring in the accused," Briel said.

Moments later Leo orbed in. "Leo," Piper whispered, rising and taking a step toward him. Kevin shook his head, and she reluctantly sat back down.

"His crimes?" Briel questioned the prosecution.

"Leo Wyatt is guilty of grave crimes against the Elders," Serris said. "He turned his back upon his duties and sought to help the Avatars remake the world. This blatant theft of free will goes against what all the forces of good stand for. In addition, he is responsible for the death of Zola, one of our own."

Briel nodded to Cole. "Your response."

Cole stepped forward. "Leo Wyatt is indeed guilty of these crimes."

Piper stood up. "You son of a bitch! You're supposed to be helping him!"

Esttai turned icy eyes to Piper. "Silence, or you will be removed from these proceedings." Piper scowled, but obeyed.

"As I was saying," Cole continued, "Leo Wyatt is indeed guilty of these crimes. However, he is not entirely responsible for his actions. I will show how he was manipulated by forces demonic and otherwise into committing these crimes."

Darban looked back to the prosecution. "Is there anything else?"

George nodded. "Yes. We intend to show the Charmed Ones have abused the powers granted to them and no longer deserve them. They have neglected their duties -- in fact, gone against what good stands for -- and are no longer responsible enough to bear the title of The Charmed Ones. Their powers should be stripped and given to those worthy to bear them."

Now Phoebe leapt to her feet. "Wait one minute! We've already been through this! This isn't fair!"

"Perhaps you have failed to learn from the first time," Esttai said coolly. She looked to Cole. "Your response?"

He hesitated. "I was not brought here to defend them, only Leo."

"Your response?" Esttai repeated.

Cole paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "The Charmed Ones," he said slowly, "may also be guilty of what they are accused, but it is due largely to the removal of their Whitelighter from their lives and the subsequent actions of the Elders. Rather than working with the Charmed Ones to mend the division between them, the Elders have driven them further away, and as a consequence, their attention to their duties has suffered."

"Strong words, demon," Darban said, settling back in his chair. He looked about the room. "Very well. Let the trial begin."


	3. Chapter 3

Kevin brought Leo over to his family. Piper threw her arms around him, almost afraid to let him go. "It's okay, I'm okay," he murmured, returning the embrace. "Where are the boys?" 

"They're at the Magic School," Piper said, finally letting Leo breathe. "Grams is with them, too."

Leo glanced over to Cole. "Umm...what's he doing here?"

"I'm your lawyer," Cole said. He jerked his thumb at Kevin. "His idea."

Kevin sighed. "Lawyer, supernatural knowledge, and...well, you'll see. I was trying to think outside the box when it came to your defense here. Can you guys just put aside your differences for an hour?"

"I didn't agree to defend the Charmed Ones against misuse of their powers and dereliction of duty and overall bad fashion," Cole said. Paige wrinkled her nose at Cole and bit back a retort.

"They kinda sprung that one on me, too," Kevin admitted. "I thought this was going to be about Leo, but I guess they went for a two for one deal. Or a four for one as the case may be." He looked at Cole. "Can you handle it?"

"I don't have much of a choice, do I?" he sighed. "And Ms. Halliwell, kindly get your hands off me."

Phoebe jumped as Cole looked at her over his shoulder. She'd tried to quietly steal behind him to put her hand on his back, trying to see if physical contact would give her a better read on his emotions. "I was just trying to see if you really were on our side," she snapped. "I don't trust you."

"And I don't care," he responded sharply. "And please don't delude yourself to think I'm doing this for you. I frankly don't care if you are stripped of your powers or not. In fact, while I think I can help Leo out, I don't know if there's any way I can argue _your _way out of this mess. After all, it's plainly clear that you have put your own selfish desires ahead of protecting innocents. When was the last one you saved? That you haven't complained about the inconvenience of it the entire time? Your latest date or media appearance is far more important to you than vanquishing a demon, isn't it?

Phoebe found herself almost at a loss for words, unprepared from the coldness that radiated from Cole. Even without her empathy, she could sense it. Declarations of love she'd dealt with from him, unwelcome stalking, too, but not this bitterness, and she found herself ill-prepared for it. "When did you become so cruel?" she said quietly.

"When you killed me," he said simply, then turned away from her.

Phoebe shook her head and sat down with her sisters. She glared at Kevin. "I hope you know what you're doing, because I think this is a very, very bad idea," she said.

"You're not the only one, dude," Paige agreed.

"I'm not happy with it either," Piper said, "but if it means helping Leo..." She squeezed her husband's hand. Even though they hadn't been officially remarried, it was easy to fall back into the comfort of thinking of him as "husband."

"Shhh," Kevin warned. "They're about to begin."

The Elder Serris stepped forward. "What you are about to see is pulled from the memories of the accused himself by the Circle of Truth. The authenticity cannot be disputed. Leo Wyatt, step forward."

"Not this again," Paige groaned.

"I'll be all right," Leo whispered to Piper, then did as requested, stepping into the circle of light that appeared in the center of the room. Next to him, an image appeared of Leo speaking to a man the sisters now recognized as the leader of the Avatars.

_"We are...a power. One that offers a better way, a solution to this," the Avatar said. "You see, Leo, the future Chris failed to mention -- the death of all the people that you love, sometimes peaceful, sometimes painful, but always inevitable. And all well before their time."_

_"Death is a part of life," the image of Leo responded. Their conversation went on for several more minutes as the Avatar offered Leo a different life. Leo seemed dubious, but not entirely unconvinced about the promises to end a life of danger and strife._

The scene shifted._ "We can save everyone, Leo, with your help," the Avatar stated. Leo nodded, and the Avatar held up his hand, sending a beam of light toward Leo. "So be it," he said. "Welcome to the fold."_

_"What do I do next?" Leo asked._

Another shift, and Leo confessed to Piper and Phoebe._ "I'm an Avatar."_

_Piper stared at him in disbelief. "What! That's insane! What does that mean?"_

_"That means," Leo said slowly, "I believe in what they want. A world beyond good and evil."_

"As you can see," Serris stated, "Leo quite willingly joined with the Avatars and worked with them to remaking the world, seduced by a promise of an easier life for him and his family. He put his own desires above the good of the world. He also convinced the Charmed Ones to assist in the destruction of the free will of the mortal realm."

A new image appeared._ An angry Paige said, "I'm not just gonna sit around and wait for him to attack Kyle!"_

_"You want to protect him?" Leo responded. "Help the Avatars bring in Utopia so Zankou can't stop it."_

"And finally," Serris said, "Leo is responsible for the murder of one of our own." Leo visibly winced as the image was pulled from his memories.

_"Where is he, damn it?" Leo demanded._

_"Wait!" Zola protested. "Listen to me, Leo. Don't do this!"_

_His face twisted in rage, Leo raised his arms and made an inarticulate sound of fury as he unleashed his powers upon Zola. The Elder screamed as he was slammed against the bridge. His lips moved to beg for mercy, but Leo gave him none, not stopping the blast until Zola had exploded and vanished in a cloud of smoke and flames._

"Why am I not surprised the Elders leave out pertinent details?" Cole said in response to the accusations when the image had faded. "Is it because you want to see the world in black and white? Good and evil?"

"Careful, demon," Esttai warned. "Watch your words."

"Stay where you are, Leo," Cole said. "I think the judges need to be shown more -- the circumstances around these decisions you made."

Leo closed his eyes as if unwilling to watch as another image of himself appeared. _Two strange disembodied heads swirled madly around him. "Let go of all you know. Don't resist us," they commanded._

_"Why are you doing this to me?" Leo yelled, backing away from them in fear and panic. "What do you want?"_

Now the leader of the Avatars appeared._ "I want you to see the truth, Leo. I want you to see the real future." He pointed to a tombstone engraved with the names of the Charmed Ones and Wyatt and Chris._

"And most importantly," Cole said as the final image appeared, showing what the other Elders had already displayed, only the entire scene this time: Piper and Phoebe, dead at Leo's feet, and the Avatars offering him the power to save their lives. "Under those circumstances, one can hardly blame Leo for his decision. He had no choice. He acted to save the lives of his loved ones by agreeing to become an Avatar. His duty for years, after all, had been protecting the lives of his charges, and you cannot expect him to abandon that task so easily. He would sacrifice anything to protect the Charmed Ones, the most powerful force for good in the world."

"That does not mean he had to agree to follow the wishes of the Avatars in remaking the world," the Elder George argued. "Saving the lives of the Charmed Ones is one thing. Robbing the world of free will is another."

"The accused was not in his right mind," Cole said calmly. "Allow me to demonstrate."

An image now appeared of the head Avatar speaking to a dark-skinned woman. _"Leo is being drawn back to his family, back to good," the woman said._

_"But he's not there yet. We must drive him away, make them afraid of him if we're to succeed."_

"I object!" Serris said. "Leo was not witness to this conversation. We cannot ascertain its accuracy." Leo looked puzzled as well.

Cole nodded in agreement. "Yes, he was not witness. However, Avatars have access to their collective powers...and their collective memories. Leo never knew this, but I do."

Serris opened his mouth to protest again, but now Briel spoke. "The images are valid. Let him proceed."

"Thank you," Cole said. He looked to the frozen images of the Avatars, which now shifted to the likenesses of the leader of the Avatars and another male Avatar._ "Perhaps we've pushed him too far," the second Avatar said._

_"We have no choice. He must join us willingly, but first must see there is no other option," his leader said._

"The Avatars," Cole said, drawing attention back to himself, "are masters of manipulation. It is undisputed that the Elder Gideon attempted to murder Leo's son Wyatt and did kill his second child, Chris." The judges nodded. "This act opened a doorway for the Avatars. They are drawn to power, and they able to seize upon any perceived weakness and exploit it. In Leo's case, it was protecting his family. They appeared to him as phantom images until he was unbalanced and thus more susceptible to their machinations."

"No Elder should be so vulnerable," Serris scoffed. "This does not prove that the Avatars are these so-called masters of manipulation. It only proves that Leo's mind is weak."

"This is not the first time they have done this." Cole looked at the judges. "If I may, I would like to establish a pattern of emotional manipulation by the Avatars." The judges nodded, but Cole hesitated before continuing. "I would further request the Charmed Ones be removed from this court."

The three judges exchanged glances. "No," Esttai said.

"But..." Cole protested.

"You will proceed," Darban ordered.

Cole looked decidedly displeased with this decision as he motioned Leo to rejoin the Charmed Ones. As he sat down, Piper whispered, "Why does he want us to go? What's going on?"

"I have no idea," Leo said, looking to Kevin.

"I think you're about to find out just why I got him to be your lawyer," Kevin said. "Just watch and listen."


	4. Chapter 4

"The Avatars," Cole began, addressing the judges, "have a long history of seeking out those with power and convincing them to join them. Some, of course, jump at the chance for even more power. Others, whether for personal reasons or a wish to act unbound by the dictates of others, are more resistant to the Avatar's words. Such refusals do little to stop the Avatars, for when they discover a source of power, they will have it. Their most common tactic is to find their chosen victim's weaknesses and exploit their deepest desires until he or she has no choice but to join them." 

"You have a specific person in mind," Esttai said, a statement, not a question. "Another example of their alleged behavior."

Cole nodded. "Yes." He hesitated, glancing at the Charmed Ones then quickly looking way.

"And this person is...?" Darban prompted impatiently.

"Myself," Cole admitted.

"You have got to be kidding me," Piper said, looking at Leo for confirmation.

"It explains a lot," Leo mused. "How he was able to alter reality -- Cole is an Avatar!"

Phoebe fluttered her hands at her sister and her husband. "Shhhh!" She leaned forward, intent on listening to Cole.

"Explain," Darban told Cole.

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "After I was vanquished when I was possessed by the Source of All Evil, my human soul survived. I figured out how to escape the demonic wastelands. But when I returned to Ms. Halliwell, she rejected me. When I realized that I could not win her back, I made plans to leave San Francisco -- until Paige convinced me to stay and used a spell to show me Ms. Halliwell still cared for me."

Paige winced. "It seemed like a good idea at the time?" she said, looking guiltily at her sisters. "And, hey, it worked, or we'd be the Power of Two and a half-naked mermaid here." Now it was Phoebe's turn to wince.

"I...tried again," Cole went on, ignoring the conversation behind him. "I tried to give her room to deal with her feelings, hoping we would reconcile, but despite what she had said, she insisted I was evil and wanted nothing to do with me. When the Demon of Fear, Barbas, began tormenting me, she and her sisters would offer me no help. Well, Paige did, but she was sorely chastised by her sisters for it."

Esttai nodded in agreement with the last statement, and Paige felt a rush of vindication. But the judge also noted, "We see no evidence of any manipulation by the Avatars, demon. The failings of love do not excuse your behavior."

"True," Cole agreed. "But it was not these 'failings' alone that affected my behavior. I...started seeing and hearing Ms. Halliwell where she wasn't." He spoke slowly and carefully, as if reluctant to make this admission. "I would hear her voice or see her out of the corner of my eye. When I slept I'd hear her name whispered to me over and over again. Every night I dreamed of her. I did not know it then, but it was the Avatars. They took my desires and twisted them until they became an obsession. I killed to protect her. I killed to make her mine. The conflict between the man what I wanted to be and the Avatar's influence...made me go mad."

Cole took a few steps, moving into the Circle of Truth. "And then the Avatars came to me and offered me their powers."

An image appeared of Cole, unkempt and unshaven, speaking to two Avatars, their leader and another dark-skinned man._ "I told you last night, leave me alone!" Cole said angrily._

_"Last night, you crossed a line," the dark Avatar said. "The power inside you has grown."_

_His leader nodded in agreement. "You have nowhere else to turn...except to us."_

_Cole gritted his teeth. "I won't turn evil."_

_The Avatar leader moved closer to Cole. "Good and evil are such useless categories, endlessly embattled, neither side ever winning. It gets rather boring, don't you think?"_

_"Then what are you?" Cole asked._

_"The Avatars," he responded._

_Cole didn't seem impressed by the name. "Avatars of what?"_

_"Force and power," the leader said. "And we don't have to limit ourselves to choosing between good and evil. We can drive them both."_

_"What's that got to do with me?" Cole said suspiciously._

_"We're only a few," the Avatar said, "but we are preparing to wield a power the likes of which this world has never seen."_

_"And we want you to be part of it," his partner added._

_"Let me make myself clear," Cole growled. "I want nothing to do with you." He conjured energy balls, one in each hand, and threw them at the Avatars. The blasts had no effect on their targets much to Cole's surprise and chagrin._

_"You can't fight us, Cole," the leader of the Avatars said. "It is futile to try. Sooner or later, you will join us. It is inevitable."_

Cole stepped back out of the circle and the image faded. "I refused them at first. But their torment persisted. I loved Ms. Halliwell, yes, but now my every moment, waking and sleeping, became consumed with her due to the Avatar's actions. They knew Ms. Halliwell was my weakness, and they used that against me. They made it so I couldn't get her out of my head, and the only way to make the pain end was to possess her."

Phoebe was trembling now as she listened, and Piper put a comforting arm around her younger sister's shoulders. "Whatever happens here, we won't let him hurt you, I promise," she said.

"It's...it's not that," Phoebe whispered. "I just never realized..."

Meanwhile, Cole had moved back into the circle, letting another image play out. The Avatar leader spoke with the woman who had appeared in the memories pulled from Leo's mind._ "His power is incredible," she said, "but are you certain about this course of action? Our interference has made him highly unstable and it will be difficult to control him."_

_The leader nodded. "The end result will be worth it. We need him if we are to remake the world. And he will give us the Charmed Ones."_

_She frowned. "How can you be sure, given the current animosity between him and Phoebe Halliwell? If he joins us, will she and her sisters not oppose us for simply that reason?"_

_"At first, yes," the leader admitted. "But the witch still loves him. And the promise of a life with him, free of demons and evil and danger...it will sway her to our side. And with her come her sisters and all their power."_

_"And we will be unstoppable," the female Avatar said, smiling now. "We will create our Utopia."_

_"Indeed our work has left Cole Turner very unstable," the lead Avatar continued. "His desires are very strong, and enflaming them as we have is dangerous. There is a chance we will destroy him with madness before we are able to convert him to our cause. But it is worth the risk, and I think it will not be long before he accepts our offer of power in order to possess the witch again. From there it is a simple matter of calming him and undoing the damage that we have done his mind so that we might utilize his power for our cause. And if we should we fail here, I do have a contingency plan to bring the Charmed Ones into our control."_

The image dissolved as Cole left the circle again. He paused, closing his eyes as if to shut out the memories. "They knew...I would accept their offer to join them in order to make Ms. Halliwell mine. I fought it, but as powerful as I was, against them I was helpless. However, they erred in how far they pushed me into madness. I used the powers they gave me to create an impossible world and...well, here we are. And when they failed with me, they turned to Leo, knowing he would serve as a gateway to the Charmed Ones as I could not. They seized upon his vulnerability -- his family -- and exploited it until he had no choice but to join them as well. As to the charge of murdering a fellow Elder, it is ridiculous that this is even being brought up. Leo was being influenced by the Demon of Fear and was not truly in control of his actions."

"Further proof that an Elder should have no ties to the mortal world," Serris sneered.

"Leo did his job and did it well for years," Cole said evenly, "while involved with Piper Halliwell. If anything, his love for her made him more devoted to his task. I doubt you will find any Whitelighter could have done a better job than he at keeping the Charmed Ones alive and well. They would've died many times over were it not for him, and you know it. Do you wish me to waste our time and use the Circle of Truth to prove it?"

"Unnecessary," Briel spoke from the judges' dais. "We have heard all your words and will consider them. What remains now are the charges brought against the Charmed Ones themselves, and whether they should be stripped of their powers so that those more worthy to bear them might be found." She inclined her head toward the prosecution. "Present the charges."


	5. Chapter 5

George stepped forward now, speaking to the judges. "The Charmed Ones," he said, "no longer have any devotion to their duty. They were gifted with these powers, yet when they are called upon to use them, they complain endlessly about how things like dates and jobs are much more important. There is nothing more important than the life of an innocent, yet these women have forgotten that." 

The Elder looked at the Charmed Ones. "Piper Halliwell, step into the Circle of Truth."

She glared at him. "Kiss my-- "

"Very well," George interrupted. He waved his hand, and the circle of light expanded to include the area where the Charmed Ones sat. Rapidly shifting images appeared, proving his words true. When presented with an innocent to save or a demon to vanquish, the first words out of the Charmed Ones mouths most often were complaints and desires to do something else.

"That's not fair!" Paige hissed.

Kevin looked at her sadly. "Unfortunately, it's all too true, isn't it?" Paige scowled but couldn't disagree.

"In addition," George continued, "despite the trial not long ago about the misuse of their powers, quite soon afterwards, Paige used her powers to conjure a man to...satisfy her." Paige flushed, but didn't say anything. "It is obvious they did not learn their lessons."

Serris moved to stand beside George. "Because of this, we submit that these women are not fit to bear the title and power of the Charmed Ones. Since the eldest complains of wanting a normal life so much, their powers should be stripped from them so that they live out their lives as mortals. Women worthy to be the Charmed Ones will be found."

"Fine by me!" Piper snapped. "Take them. They're yours."

"Obviously," Serris continued, "their memories would have to be stripped of any knowledge of magic and the magical world..."

"I don't think I like the sound of that," Phoebe said nervously.

"...and while the younger child of Piper Halliwell may have his powers stripped as well, she may retain him, but the older, Wyatt, will have to remain here with us," Serris said.

Piper rose to her feet, her eyes flashing with anger. "Over my dead body!"

"SIT DOWN." Briel's voice boomed loudly through the room, and the force of it knocked Piper back into her seat.

"You can't do this!" Piper continued to protest. Beside her, Leo looked stricken.

"We can do whatever we wish, Piper Halliwell," Briel said. "If this is the course of action we choose, there is nothing you can do to stop it. We are not the Cleaners that you can intimidate with your power. If this is done, you will not mourn your child. You will have never known him or his father. Your new memories will comfort you, as will your very normal life."

Piper looked helplessly at Cole, realizing their fate was in his hands. "Cole...please...don't let them do this."

He laughed shortly. "Why the hell should I care what happens to you?"

"Because...because..." She searched for the right words. "You'll prove us wrong. You'll prove we were wrong about how we treated you."

"Cole, please," Phoebe added softly.

He stiffened and turned to the judges. There was a long moment of silence, then Cole finally spoke. As he did, the Circle of Truth conjured images -- Prue's death and funeral, Leo leaving Piper to become an Elder, Chris dying. "These women are the Charmed Ones," Cole said. "They are powerful witches. But they are also human. They have endured lifetimes of sorrow and pain and fear. They need joy and peace and love to counteract it, and instead of seeing that these simple needs are met, the Elders have heaped more misery upon them. It would be a simple matter to let them see their sister..."

"They need to accept she is dead," Serris interrupted.

Cole shook his head. "They _have_. As they have the loss of their mother and their grandmother, yet they are allowed to see them."

"It is a special privilege to be able to see the spirits of the dead," Esttai noted.

"One which they deserve," Cole argued. "Instead you have forbidden this and did not even allow Prue to attend her nephews' wiccanings. If they were ignorant to the possibility of seeing the dead, that would be one thing. But they are not, and you cruelly deny them the opportunity to see their sister. And then you took Leo away from them."

"It was his choice," Darban insisted.

"A choice that was not really a choice," Cole said. "You could have easily released him from his duty and allowed him to remain with his wife and son, but you did not. Time and time again, the Elders have stood in the way of these women's happiness. Perhaps they would focus more on their duties if they knew they would have a moment's respite. For all they have done, do they not deserve it? Instead you force them to cling to children and boyfriends and jobs so tightly that they neglect their wiccan duties."

"You are blaming us for this, demon?" Darban said irritably.

"In a way, yes," Cole said. "You interfered in Piper's and Leo's relationship from the beginning, and it caused resentment of the Elders and their guidance. It put the wheels of rebellion in motion. Rather than build the Charmed One's trust and respect, instead you have created resentment. You command, you take, but you do not give."

"How dare you..." Serris seethed.

"Enough!" Briel said. "We have heard all we need to hear. We are prepared for make our decision."


	6. Chapter 6

All attention was on Briel as she rose and spoke. "It has been proven to my satisfaction that the Avatars seek out power and use ruthless manipulation to get it. Indeed, it seems to be their standard method of getting someone to join their cause. Very few would be able to stand against them. Therefore, Leo Wyatt is not to be persecuted for joining them as he did. He acted under duress, and he acted to save his family. It is further evident that Leo Wyatt's ties to the mortal world make him unfit to be an Elder. His guidance was needed when the Elders were in chaos after the rise of the Titans, but no longer. It is also clear that the attack upon Zola took place while Leo Wyatt was under the emotional assault of a powerful demon, and he is not to blame for his actions." 

Briel gazed evenly at the Charmed Ones. "The Charmed Ones have served the force of good, and they have done it well. For all their incessant complaining, they have vanquished countless demons. The Elders might have all been destroyed by the Titans were it not for them. They are to be commended...and trusted to do their job. I believe in their hearts they know their duty, and if they have fallen from the path, perhaps this will serve as a reminder. There is, as was said here already, nothing more important than the life of an innocent, and they would do well to remember that and learn to live with the inconveniences of their mortal lives. The Elders will not interfere in their personal lives so long as they do not affect their obligation to protect innocents.

"It is therefore our ruling that the Charmed Ones be allowed to retain their powers. Leo Wyatt shall be stripped of his Avatar and Elder powers, but allowed to retain his abilities as a Whitelighter. He shall be assigned to be where he truly belongs – with his family. They will be his sole charges and he will act as liaison between them and the Elders," Briel finished. "And he is responsible for keeping them on their path."

The other Elders nodded in acceptance of the decision and orbed out. Piper sank against Leo in relief as her sisters absorbed the enormity of the decision. Kevin leapt to his feet and let out a whoop. "You did it!" he said to Cole.

"So I did," Cole said wearily.

Kevin looked guilty. "I...uh...I have to send you back now," he said reluctantly. Cole nodded.

"Wait!" Phoebe said. "What's going on?" She moved to Kevin's side, looking at Cole.

"I pulled Cole from Purgatory to help Leo," Kevin said sadly. "And now I have to put him back."

"He didn't agree to do this for a Get out of Death Free card?" Paige asked.

Kevin shook his head. "No...he only did it because I asked."

"There must be something..." Phoebe looked at Briel, who had remained behind. "Does he have to go back?"

"Stay out of this," Cole said to Phoebe. "I don't want your help."

"Interesting," Briel said, studying Phoebe. "You were the one who sent him to Purgatory. Yet now you wish him free? Why?"

"I don't know," Phoebe said. "Maybe...maybe we were wrong? Isn't there anything we can do? He was manipulated by the Avatars, too. He needs justice as much as Leo."

"Justice," Briel repeated. She waved her hand at Phoebe.

"Oh, god," Phoebe said, starting to hyperventilate. She sank to her knees, clutching her head as tears began to stream down her face. "Don't...I can't...please..."

"What are you doing to her?" Piper demanded. She knelt beside Phoebe and tried to pull her into her arms.

"Her empathy was given to her for this very reason," Briel said evenly. "It was never meant as a gift to augment her powers. It was meant so she could feel what her callous and selfish actions did to those around her. You found a magical way to prevent her from feeling your emotions, Piper Halliwell, but these feelings she cannot block. She now feels what the demon feels."

Cole looked at Phoebe, alarmed. "Stop this. This isn't what I want."

"Is this not justice, demon?" Briel said. "This is your pain, your sorrow. Your love for her kept you alive when first they vanquished you. Your pain kept you in Purgatory the second time, unable to move on."

"I said stop it!" Cole took a step toward Phoebe, then stopped himself.

Briel shook her head. "No."

Cole closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath. He let it out slowly, his stance become more relaxed. After a moment, Phoebe stopped crying and writhing on the floor. She pushed herself up, looking at Cole "Phoebe?" Piper said, pushing the hair away from her sister's face.

"The pain, the sadness, it's gone...I just feel..." Her voice dropped to a confused whisper. "Love."

Cole looked away from Phoebe, facing Briel instead. "Congratulations. You have passed," the Elder said.

"What? This was some sort of sick test?" Cole said, bewildered.

Briel nodded. "If evil ruled your heart, you would have reveled in her pain. Instead you stopped it the only way you could...by letting go off your pain. And for that I judge you free to return to the mortal realm."

"Return?" Cole repeated, stunned.

Another nod. "Yes. You are restored to what you were...minus the Avatar's powers. You are no longer one of them. You are free to choose your own path now."

"I...thank you," Cole said.

"Cole," Phoebe whispered, climbing to her feet. She took a hesitant step toward him.

He backed away from her. "Are we done here now, then?" he asked Briel.

"You are free to go where you will, Cole," Briel said, addressing him by name instead of calling him "demon." "But we will be watching. If you abuse your powers, if you fall from the path again, you will be dealt with."

Cole nodded respectfully, then started to shimmer out. "Cole, wait!" Phoebe shouted, jumping toward him.

"What do you want?" he said carefully, keeping a distance between them.

"Where-where are you going?" she asked.

He shrugged. "I don't know, Phoebe."

A small smile touched her lips. "You called me Phoebe."

He ignored her words. "What do you want?" he repeated.

"I...I think we need to talk," she said.

Shaking his head, he said, "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Cole, I felt what you feel," Phoebe pleaded.

He looked away from her. "That doesn't mean anything anymore."

She tried to close the distance between them. "How can you say that? It means everything."

Bitterness and pain flickered in his eyes again as he turned toward her again. "It meant nothing to you two years ago, why should it change now?"

"Because I was a fool!" Phoebe said passionately. "I was scared and I didn't understand what you were going through and please can't we forget the past and try again? Cole...I love you. I always have. I always will. That wasn't a lie when I told you that."

"It...it's too late, Phoebe," he said. "We tried. We failed. It's over. Goodbye, Phoebe."

Cole shimmered out, and Phoebe dropped her head. As her shoulders began to shake, Piper and Paige hurried to wrap their sister in their embrace. "It's okay, honey," Piper said comfortingly. "You're just caught up in the moment. You know you don't want to be involved with him again..." Her voice trailed off as she realized Phoebe was laughing. "Phoebe?"

"Yeah, what's so funny?" Paige said, confused.

Phoebe's eyes shone with tears, but she was smiling. "He still loves me. And I'm going to get him back."

"How can you be so sure?" Paige asked.

"Because I've seen the future," Phoebe said happily. "And my daughter has her father's eyes."


	7. Chapter 7

Three days after the trial, life had returned to normal at the Halliwell Manor. "Or as normal as it's going to be," Piper said with a wistful sigh. "We will fight demons and save innocents, but we can also _try _to have Sunday breakfast together." 

She and Leo had been blissfully happy since their return, finally free of the looming threat of punishment and secure that nothing would part them again. Paige had quit the magic school so she could return to social work. Nothing had been heard from Cole.

The sisters had discussed the ramifications of Cole being back from the dead. Piper and Paige were both nervous, but as Leo had pointed out, "The Elders gave him their approval. And now we know the real story about what happened. Don't dwell on the past, you can't change it. It's the future that matters." So with some trepidation, Piper and Paige agreed to support Phoebe in whatever path she took with Cole.

That afternoon, Phoebe knocked on Elise's door. Her editor looked up. "Come in," she said. "What's up, Phoebe? How did your meeting go this morning? Is the interview all set for this afternoon?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," Phoebe said, sitting in the chair in front of Elise's desk. "I need to cut back on work. I need to slow down. I've realized that I don't want TV appearances and interviews and billboards. I just want to write my column and help people."

"What are you talking about?" Elise said. "You're supposed to be guest-hosting the morning show two weeks from now and this Saturday you have to --"

"That's what I mean," Phoebe interrupted. "It's too much. The success all went to my head, but...it's not what I want. I do want to keep helping people, but all the rest of this...no. If the paper needs me to make an appearance I will see what I can do, but I need to slow down and focus on my family now. I have other obligations, and they have to take precedence."

Elise sat back in her chair. "Actually, I'm not surprised. You've been being pulled in too many different directions for a long time now. Well, some people aren't going to be too happy, but it's your life and your decision."

Phoebe smiled in relief. "Thank you so much for understanding, Elise." She held out a piece a paper. "I want to add this to today's column if it's possible, or tomorrow's if it's too late."

Elise took the paper and read:

_Dear Ask Phoebe:_

_Recently I ran into my ex. We had a bad break-up and I admit I treated him poorly. But I realized that I still have feelings for him. He says he doesn't want anything to do with me, but I think he still loves me, too. I can feel it. What should I do?_

_Hopeful_

_Dear Hopeful,_

_Follow your heart. Fate brought you back together for a reason. If he truly loves you, he can forgive you. It would be silly to think he'll just completely forget all about how you treated him, but if you can show him you've learned from your mistakes and that you've changed and you're willing to do whatever it takes to make it up to him, he'll come around. Don't give up. Love conquers all, and I really think you can make this work._

_Phoebe_

Elise looked at Phoebe over the paper and raised an eyebrow. "Now I think I understand," she said. "Let me guess...you ran into a certain ex-husband?"

"Something like that," Phoebe admitted. "I just all of a sudden realized I misjudged him. And I still love him. And he loves me, I know he does."

"Well, you threw yourself into this job as your marriage was breaking up, so the reversal shouldn't surprise me," Elise said. She leaned forward and put her hand over Phoebe's. "Do what you need to do. The paper can work around you."

"Thank you," Phoebe said again. "And give my office to someone who can use it. I think I'm going to be doing a lot of work from home from now on. But I promise you'll get my columns on time, and like I said, if the paper needs me to make an appearance for a charity or something, I will see what I can do." She rose to her feet. "For now, I'm taking the afternoon off."

"What are you up to today?" Elise asked.

"I'm going shopping," Phoebe said with a grin. "I need to get a new dress and pick up some ingredients for Piper. She's cooking dinner for me Friday night."

"Your ex is coming to see you?" Elise said.

"I hope so," Phoebe said as she headed to the door. "That's the hard part. Getting him to come over. Wish me luck."

"Good luck," Elise said as Phoebe left. "I hope you two can work it out."

Two nights later, Phoebe stood nervously in a dark alleyway, a vial of vanquishing potion clutched in her hand. She'd scryed for demonic activity and had found a nest of Shambler demons. The smart thing to do would've been to tell her sisters so they could come deal with the demons together, but that wasn't what she had in mind right now. "This is stupid, Phoebe," she chided herself. "What the hell am I doing? This is a very bad idea."

"But very good for us, little one," a voice hissed behind her. She spun around and found two Shambler demons moving towards her.

"Witch, it's what's for dinner," the second Shambler giggled.

"I'm really not much of a meal," Phoebe said, backing away. "Not even worthy of being an appetizer." She hid the potion behind her back, waiting for the right moment to throw it.

"We've already eaten," the first Shambler said. "You're just dessert."

It lunged at her, and Phoebe threw the vanquishing potion, destroying the demon before it could reach her. The second she kicked across the alley, but then a third was behind her, catching her unawares and wrapping its strong arms tightly around her. She struggled futilely to free herself, opening her mouth to yell for Leo. Before she could draw in breath, the demon clamped a heavy hand over her mouth.

The demon she had kicked rose and moved toward her. "No screaming, little witch," it said. "No Whitelighter to take our dinner away."

"Try a demon." The Shambler demon erupted into flames as an energy ball hit it. The one that held Phoebe shoved her to the ground, only to meet the same fate as its companion. Then Cole's hands were on her shoulders as he pulled her to her feet. "Phoebe, what the hell are you doing out here alone?" he said, shaking her. "You could've been killed!"

"Cole!" she cried, flinging her arms around him. Her lips sought his and to her delight he didn't pull away. She could feel his relief at her being safe and his desire as he held her close in the protective circle of his arms. Her own body ached with passion she hadn't felt in years. Miles, Jason, Les...none of them had made her feel like this. None of them could compare. It was Cole, it had always been Cole.

They finally broke apart, and Phoebe looked up at Cole and whispered, "I knew you would come."

"You...knew." Cole said. He abruptly pushed her away and looked at her with disgust. "So you were in a dark alley acting like an idiot...because you knew I would come to your rescue."

"Cole, I'm sorry, but you didn't exactly leave a phone number and it was the only way I could get in touch with you!" she protested. "I just wanted to talk to you! I've tried calling out to you, but you didn't answer..."

"I know," he said, rubbing his temple. "You've been giving me a headache. I thought I made myself clear. I don't want anything to do with you anymore. Now call your Whitelighter or your sister and get out of here. And don't think of pulling a stunt like this again. It won't work."

"I just wanted to talk to you," Phoebe said. "Maybe I don't deserve it. But please, Cole...please. Just give me one chance. There's still something between us. You knew I was in danger. You came to help me. That has to mean something."

He turned away from her. "I told you, Phoebe. It's over between us."

She pressed herself against him, her arms around his waist, her cheek against his back. Tears rolled down her cheeks. "I love you, Cole," she said brokenly.

He stiffened. "Phoebe..."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she sobbed. "I wish I could turn back time and undo everything I did. I don't blame you for wanting nothing to do with me. I love you, Cole. I love you so much. All this time I've just buried what I felt because it scared me so much, and now that you're back, I don't know if I can live without you."

Gripping her wrists, he extracted himself from her grasp and pulled away. Phoebe lowered her head, unable to watch him go. She'd been so sure she could reach him somehow and make him remember what they'd once shared, but even visions of the future didn't mean it would be happen. Prue's death had proven that.

Then she felt his hand on her cheek, his thumb brushing away her tears. "Let me take you home," he said.

She lifted her gaze. "Stay for dinner? Piper's making steak...artichokes..."

He managed a small chuckle. "Not fair."

Hope started to swell in her heart again. "I don't fight fair. Next will come the tickling."

"You know, it's embarrassing to have one's entry in the Book of Shadows include tickling as a weakness," he said, wincing.

"Does 'great in bed' make up for it?" she said impishly.

"Why, Ms. Halliwell," he said, "are you trying to seduce me?"

"Always," she said breathlessly.

He leaned into her, pressing her against the wall. She trembled as he kissed her gently. "All right," he said. "Dinner. But I'm not making any promises."

"It's more than I deserve," she said, pressing her fingers to his lips. "Thank you."

He bent his head and kissed her again, then shimmered them both home.

- Fin -


End file.
